Maize Production Under Irrigated Agriculture: Effect of Population Density and Varieties on Yield and Yield Related Traits of Irrigated Maize

Attaining food security both at household and national level is the primary objective of all developing countries. Growing of consumer accepted high yielding crops is one of the solutions for those segments of the society that depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. To this end, maize is potentially the most productive cereal crop that prospects the industrialization of tropical countries. The use of high population densities for early maturing maize varieties under irrigated condition has recorded grain yields of up to 8.5 tons/ha which is much higher than that of the yield that is being obtained in the subsistence rain fed agriculture that is not more than 1.5 to 2 tons/ha. Thus, this technology would shed light to small farm households, commercial farmers, and agricultural extension workers who are interested to engage in irrigated agriculture using different water sources.